Have you or someone you know recently being diagnosed with diabetes? This can be a very overwhelming time as people diagnosed with diabetes are often bombarded with information and are recommended to consult with an endocrinologist (diabetes specialist), diabetes educator nurse, dietitian, exercise physiologist and a podiatrist. This can be very overwhelming!
Why should I see a Podiatrist ?
Diabetes can cause damage to the arteries and nerves in the body. The nerves and arteries that are most commonly affected are in the eyes, kidneys, toes and feet.
A Podiatrist is able to perform assessments of the nerves and arteries in your feet to give you valuable information about the health of your nerves and arteries. This may provide you with peace of mind, or may help you understand your health and have a plan to prevent further complications.
The most important thing about a diabetes related neurovascular assessment is that an understanding of your health is established, recorded and then compared at the next assessment. If at any stage in the future, there is a change detected, we can take a proactive approach and address any concerns well before signs of complications have arisen.
What are the signs of nerve and artery damage?
The important thing to understand about diabetes is that there are often no early signs of long term complications. This means that health changes can go unnoticed until a time when visible and physical signs have arisen and when irreversible damage has already occurred. Below is a list of physical signs of nerve and artery health complications:
Nerve complications can include:
- Numbness (Loss of feeling in the toes, feet and lower legs)
- Coldness of the legs
- A tingling, pins and needles sensation in the feet
- Burning sensations in the legs and feet, usually more noticeable in bed at night
- Cuts which are slow to heal that may develop into foot ulcerations
Artery complications can include:
- Aching/ leg cramps after walking particular distances or up stairs
- Pain in the feet, even at rest (often in the early hours of the morning)
- Feet feeling cold
- Feet looking a reddish-blue colour
- Cuts which are slow to heal that may develop into foot ulcerations
What are the long-term complications of diabetes to your foot health?
Nerve and artery damage can lead to serious problems that are confronting to hear for the first time. These complications can be life changing and are scary to think about. The important thing to know is that these complications are preventable by having a good understanding of diabetes and your health. Numbness of the feet combined with poor blood flow greatly increases the risk of developing ulcerations (or wounds) to the feet. If you are unable to feel your feet, you may not notice a small cut and if there is poor blood circulation in the feet, that small cut may not heal which can lead to an amputation. Yes, it is very scary to think about and the good thing to know is that this can be preventable with early detection of changes to the nerves and arteries, which is the importance of a regular diabetes foot assessment.
How can I prevent long-term complications of diabetes?
The best way to prevent long-term complications is by having a good basic understanding of diabetes and your own overall health. Generally speaking, complications of diabetes are related very closely with blood glucose levels. The higher the blood glucose levels rise above a normal reading, the higher the risk of a nerve or artery complication.
It is recommended that if you have diabetes, you have an understanding of what a normal or recommended blood glucose range is for you. Your endocrinologist and GP will help you understand what your own normal glucose range is and will help support you in keeping within that range.
When someone is first diagnosed with diabetes, the process of learning about diabetes can be very overwhelming. Like with any skill you learn (think about driving a car for the first time), overtime you will learn more and develop the skills to manage your blood glucose levels. In time, this will become easy!
How often should I get a nerve and artery test by a Podiatrist?
As per the Diabetes Australia guidelines, the recommended minimum number of assessments with a podiatrist is at least once per year for people without a history of diabetes related changes or complications. If the person has a history of diabetes related changes or complications an assessment is recommended every 3 to 6 months.
You can book an appointment with a member of our practitioner team HERE LINK: https://www.proactivehm.com.au/book-online/
Written By:
Josh McGill
